Return the Dog and Run
by Uozumi
Summary: Kirk accompanies a nervous Scott to return Archer’s prized beagle. Spoilers for ENT's ep "Demons"


**Fandom** _Star Trek AOS_ and _Star Trek Enterprise_  
**Character(s)/Pairing(s)** Archer, Elizabeth, Kirk, Scott; no pairing  
**Genre** General  
**Rating** G  
**Word Count** 1217  
**Disclaimer** Star Trek c. Paramount, CBS, NBC, Roddenberry  
**Summary** Kirk accompanies a nervous Scott to return Archer's prized beagle.  
**Warning(s)** some spoilers for ENT's "Demons."  
**Notes** Working on the theory that all the time traveling in TOS, movie IV, and beyond helped create AOS' universe. Thus, certain events in _Enterprise_'s episode "Demons" could have occurred differently due to the tears in time space that already existed.

_**Return the Dog and Run**_

"Thanks for driving me, Captain, and Horatio here," Scott said as they got out of the hover car. He shuffled a rather small male beagle in his arms and fished around for the dog's leash.

"I admit I want to say goodbye," Kirk said. He walked around the hover car and scratched behind the dog's ears. The prized beagle appeared on their transport platform about a month out on their first five-year mission. The Enterprise was up for shore leave for the next two days and since they were in the vicinity of Earth, Scott decided to return Horatio to Admiral Archer.

Scott found the leash and hooked Horatio to it. The dog ruffed at them before lunging for the yard. "He seems to know he's home," Scott chuckled nervously.

"I'm sure the admiral will want Horatio back," Kirk said and took in the modest house. It was smaller than what one might expect from someone of Archer's importance, but it looked lived in. Kirk looked at his chief engineer. "Scotty, he can't send you back to Delta Vega."

"That's not what I'm worried about," Scott said and then tugged at the leash to move Horatio along. "He was my sponsor and I let him down." They ascended the steps and Scott took a deep breath and rang the bell.

A woman with her long honey brown hair tied back in a ponytail that covered the top half of her ears answered the door. There was a long gray skunk stripe running from her left temple down the length of the ponytail. Her face was beginning to wrinkle, but her eyes lit up when she saw Scott. Quickly she undid the door and opened it. Horatio lunged into the house before breaking free of Scott's grasp and scampering off to find his owner. "Montgomery," she greeted him warmly. "Please, come in."

"I don't know…" Scott shuffled a little. "I just came to bring Horatio back, and I'm sure Archer doesn't want to see me, Lizzie."

"Nonsense," the woman stated and pulled him into the house. "Someone has to keep Horatio from nipping at the chair's tires." Once Scott shuffled off to talk it out with Admiral Archer, the woman turned to look at Kirk. Her eyebrows had a familiar angled shape and her skin seemed to have a greenish cast to it now that Kirk really looked. "I'm Elizabeth, Archer's nurse." She beckoned him to enter the house. "You're welcome inside too."

"Good to know," Kirk said and once he was inside, she closed the door. Her fingernails caught the light, showing the body of her nail to be tinted a faint green just like the bodies of Spock's nails were. Kirk did his best not to try to check her ear tips hidden under thick hair. "I'm Captain James T. Kirk."

She gave him a very small smile. "I've heard of you." She motioned for him to follow her to the kitchen. "Would you like anything to drink? I was about to brew some tea."

"I'm fine," Kirk said. He was really trying not to stare, but her little mannerisms, small expressions made him wonder if maybe she was not Vulcan after all. Even Spock had his moments of expression, but nothing close to that smile.

"Is there something on your mind, Captain?" Elizabeth set three tea bags into a pot to let them steep into a strong brew.

Kirk shook his head and looked out the kitchen window. "It's nothing."

Scott knelt down and took the leash off Horatio in the other room. He looked up at the almost one hundred and forty-eight year old man in the wheel chair. Archer was watching him, meeting Scott's eyes.

"I found your dog, sir," Scott ducked his head down and finished unhooking the leash. Well, it was more Horatio seemed to find him, but he did not want to be confusing.

"Athos?" Archer asked. He reached down slowly and petted along the crown of Horatio's head.

"Horatio, sir," Scott answered. He set the leash where Elizabeth would easily find it.

"Their colors are similar," Archer stated and coaxed the beagle into his lap. The dog happily took the offer, curling up on the blanket covering the admiral's legs. Archer petted the beagle at a slow but loving pace.

Scott realized he was sitting on the floor and then stood up, dog hairs clinging to his off duty pants. "I…I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean – " He stopped speaking when Archer held up one of his gnarled hands.

"It's okay," Archer spoke quietly. He finally looked up from his beloved pet to the young man standing in front of him. "Horatio is back where he belongs."

Scott managed to swallow a comment about three years out at Delta Vega being all under the bridge. He nodded. "Yes, sir."

Elizabeth entered the room, carrying a tray with tea upon it. She set it on a table beside Archer. "It's fortunate Montgomery brought Horatio back, isn't it?" She looked at Scott. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Uh…" Scott looked at Kirk and then shook his head. "We've got to go soon." He looked at Archer and held out his hand. "Goodbye, Admiral."

Archer looked at the hand then took it slowly before shaking it with what strength he still had. "Goodbye."

Elizabeth set a thermos in a cup holder on Archer's chair and placed a straw in it. "It's hot, Jonathan," she said firmly then turned to Kirk and Scott. "I'll see you out." She led them to the door and unlocked it before opening it for both of them. "Good luck on your paths in life."

"Thanks," Kirk answered and then he raised his right hand and awkwardly parted his fingers at the middle and ring finger. "I think it's live long and prosper…?"If she was Vulcan, he could not be rude, right?

Scott did his best not to give Kirk a strange look. Elizabeth again smiled a muted but warm smile. "I do not know, Captain. I was raised by my father and then the good admiral."

Kirk lowered his hand and then nodded. "I guess goodbye works then?"

"It does," Elizabeth answered and exchanged farewells with Scot as well. She closed the door behind the two young men and watched them depart for their hovercar. Once the hovercar was gone, she returned to the family room and approached the chair quietly. She peered at the occupants finding both Archer and Horatio asleep. Carefully she tucked the blankets up carefully around Archer's shoulders, careful not to dislodge Horatio in the process. She placed a kiss on Archer's temple and whispered, "Thank you," as she liked to do when he was not awake and could tell her she did not need to thank him for anything.

After a pause, Archer whispered, "T' Pol…?" back.

Elizabeth studied him. "Mother is not with us." She had no memories of T'Pol, but heard since entering womanhood that her voice was very much like the Vulcan who gave her life to protect Elizabeth from the people who created her illegally.

Archer did not say anything more and Elizabeth took the teacup meant for Scott back to the kitchen to place its untouched contents with the rest of the remaining pot.

**The End**


End file.
